A fishing lure is an artificial object tied onto the end of a fishing line and used to attract fish. Used in conjunction with a fishing rod and fishing reel, a skilled angler continuously casts and retrieves the fishing lure to mimic a swimming or popping action as it moves through the water. An angler may also utilize a jigging action wherein the fishing lure is dropped into the water and vertically moved, or jigged, up and down via the attached fishing line. The fishing lure is designed to resemble the prey of a particular type of fish, such as earthworms, caterpillars, grubs, frogs, crawfish, minnows, lizards, insects, etc. The color, appearance, vibration, and movement of the fishing lure as it travels through the water attract fish attention, causing fish to bite the lure. Fishing lures are further equipped with a single, double, or treble hook(s) of various sizes, shapes, and spacing. The hooks snag the fish after the fishing lure has been bitten or swallowed by the fish.
Historically, fish hooks were carved by ancient man out of bone or molded out of bronze. The Greek and Roman civilizations advocated fishing for sport, creating fly-fishing lures of feathers, bronze, horsehair, and wild boar bristles. In the United States during the early 1800s, fishing lures were made by individual craftsmen whittling wood or pounding metal into a shape that resembled live bait. However, the unnatural movement of these lures as they traveled through the water left much to be improved upon. Manufacturing of fishing lures began to slowly evolve from individual craftsmen to commercial ventures during the late 1800s to early 1900s. More recently, the development of soft plastic compositions and injection molding techniques have produced fishing lures that more closely resemble live bait and their movements. Such lures may incorporate dyes, metallic flakes, or even scents. Soft plastic baits encompass a variety of different lures, one common example being a tube lure. Generally, a tube lure comprises a soft plastic tube with tentacles extending from the tail to resemble a crawfish. A hook is typically pierced through the tube lure, after which an angler casts and retrieves the lure utilizing a twitching motion to mimic a live crawfish swimming through the water. While such a lure has its own advantages, a desire remains to develop still further tube lures that incorporate unique life-like movements while offering a concealed position for the hook(s) to attract more fish and make it easier to set the lure in the fish's mouth.